Meeting expectationsRight now, my life is very busy. Sometimes I think it is too busy. However it does not compare to the Passion Week. The last week of Jesus’ life was filled to the absolute brim and overflowing with events, activities, as well as public and private teaching. Sometimes we forget that God was orchestrating all these events to suit His purposes. The way that the donkey colt and the upper room were provided seems to shout out the sovereignty of God...

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Pastor Steve EllisonThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Arkansas Tech football camp teaches focusIt’s odd how athletic my son is becoming as he grows older. It’s odd because I wonder where he gets it. It’s no secret — I was never any good at sports. I was a lousy football player, even though I enjoyed being a part of the team. Going even further back, I was no good at little league baseball. The last time I played catch (until very recently), I missed a ball thrown from my father and caught it with my face instead of my glove. My son, Gre...

Is some college worth it?Dr. Neal Gibson and Dr. Greg Holland with the Arkansas Research Center aren’t looking for anecdotes. They’re looking for hard data. And the data shows them this: The more education Arkansas students get, the more money they will make — even if they pay all that money to go to college but never finish school. That leads to some big questions. But first, the data. Their recent report, “Education and Wage Outcomes for the Arkansas Workforce,” loo...

Resilience is what mattersMy sister Kathy and I spent a weekend cleaning out our mother’s home in order to rent it out, and two weeks later we both flew to Washington to surprise our dad for his 70th birthday. These two events have provided a backdrop for my reflection here on living a full life, making the most of what you have and moving forward rather than focusing on the past. Our mother has survived two bouts with cancer and had, just a few years ago, recovered en...

Debate could get a 2nd lifeThe debate over the “private option” health care expansion was by far the most hotly debated issue in the recent state legislative session. In the end, about 80 percent of lawmakers from both parties agreed it was the right approach to effectively utilize the federal funds available through Medicaid expansion while injecting needed reforms into the program. The result is a system unique to Arkansas. The program is being put together, but one g...

Companies flaunt law in oil aftermathMost disturbing of the many allegations in a lawsuit filed jointly last week by Arkansas and the federal government in the Mayflower pipeline rupture is that the oil companies responsible for the disaster continue to risk further property damage and public health in defiance of state officials. The lawsuit was filed against ExxonMobil Pipeline Co. and Mobil Pipeline Co., alleging violations of state and federal pollution laws resulting from th...

Welcome to America, SKK Italy franchise!All the way from Venice, Italy, Dr. Naser “Nazareno” Ghazal (marketing, University of Rome), has exported to America his beloved and successful brainchild, now 13 years in the making. Offering a unique philosophy, along with a fresh and International menu, SKK Italy (Shockabab Italy) with the help of Mutahar “Al” Al-Eryani as America’s very first franchisee, has bestowed upon our beloved hometown a great honor, privilege and opportunity. Russe...

We should reform child supportPresident Obama’s Father’s Day speech included one provocative, yet very declarative, sentence: “We should reform our child support laws to get more men working and engaged with their children.” Obama didn’t elaborate, but we can build on what he said because, yes indeed, child support laws urgently need “reform.” Many fathers work long hours and make incredible sacrifices for their families. Child support formulas are based on the ridiculous ...

Sending a thank-you note to SnowdenI’d like to send young Mr. Edward Snowden a proper thank-you note in Hong Kong. But surely a spy would break the seal. Don’t you think Snowden deserves a citizen-to-citizen note of thanks for his act of civil disobedience? Whether you see it as magnificent or traitorous, what a brave stand for a 29-year-old to shoulder the weight of telling the National Security Agency’s secret deeds to the world. Essentially, we are all under surveillance, al...

Mental health: Anorexia's many effectsAnorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that results in severe weight loss. It almost always begins with a plan to follow strict dietary guidelines to lose weight. Limiting foods to an extreme leads to malnutrition and unhealthy weight loss. As malnutrition sets in, the brain and metabolism change which in turn limits the appetite, how you assimilate food and eventually your ability to think clearly or make rational decisions. People with anore...

Natural resources in the morningIt reached over 90 degrees this week and it looks like the summer drought season will soon be here. If you’re a gardener and/or enjoy local food and flowers, you know how quickly a drought can wither a previously prolific garden. We can’t increase the rainfall, but there are several low-cost, environmentally sound ways we can stave off the some of the drought’s destructive aspects. So much of so-called “green” forms of growing or green living ...

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Meredith Martin-MoatsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Time to stop litteringIf you go by the new Splash Pad at Russellville City Park and take a look around, you’re likely to see trash and debris strewn about. Drive down Knoxville Avenue, especially in the vicinity of the high school, and take another look around. You’ll notice the ditches along the roadway have a fair amount of trash inside. In fact, travel along any major thoroughfare in Russellville and you’ll see trash and debris along the roadway. Visit any city ...

Scholarship shortfall shows need for priorityNo matter where you live in Arkansas, your dentist, optometrist and veterinarian have one thing in common: None of them earned their advanced degrees in this state. No in-state school offers them. Because we really need people with those skills — along with podiatrists, osteopaths, and chiropractors, all of which also aren’t trained in Arkansas — the state helps pay students’ out-of-state tuition fees through the Arkansas Health Education Gran...

What’s going on Downtown?The downtown experience in Russellville is one of the best working environments for a retail business you can imagine. We all pull together to make the shopping experience convenient and pleasant. Recently the downtown merchants have adopted a concept for the way things are going: Restore, Renew, and Revitalize. We have also made a commitment to the best service and price. We want to be a vibrant, growing, exciting place to shop. New retailers...

The Greatest GenerationI was watching the History Channel on June 6, and another D-Day Anniversary show. I’m drawn to anything to do with D-Day, or World War II for that matter, as my dad was there and it has great meaning for me. The show was about Tom Brokaw’s remembrances and his tremendous interest after he interviewed a few of the participants. He found that there was another very important story that is woven into the American fabric of life — that of the WWII...

Playing the field ... with jobsThe first item on our list of things to do, next to popular D.C. attractions such as “visit the Arlington Cemetery,” “tour the Smithsonian” and “catch a Nationals game,” is a simple three-word phrase: “get a job.” In a city that houses more than half a million people, this is easier said than done. To make matters worse, being here only for the summer means any work I’m looking for is temporary. And since I’m too nice to lie to potential emplo...

Why I am passionate about literacyWhat are you passionate about? As you think about this question a moment, I can tell you I am passionate about literacy. The reason I know I’m passionate about literacy is that I get mad when I read about someone who is intentionally keeping their child from learning to read for their own selfish gain. Not to keep you in the dark, here is what I am talking about. A while back a friend sent me a Dec. 7, 2012, article written by Nicholas Kristof...

City on a hillThe phrase “City on a Hill” was coined by John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He penned a directive as he crossed the ocean from England to New England aboard the Arabella in early 1630. His passengers were primarily Puritans who had fled England in search of religious freedom. Winthrop wanted the settlers to be successful, and he understood that they would be under great scrutiny. His directive provided inspirat...

Living in communityAs a new pastor in the community of Russellville, I would like to say thank you to all who I have met and who have warmly received my family and me. My wife and I met in Conway when we were in college, and some years later moved to Texas, then Oklahoma and finally we are back home. There is something special about Arkansas and her communities and the Foster family is excited to be back in order to experience community “Arkansas style.” God has...

Be not offendedMy past few articles have dealt with Romans 14, which tells us to refrain from judging others in matters of opinion and preference. The reasons could not be more obvious, clear and logical. We are not capable nor do we have the authority. No other human belongs to us. Each and every one of them belongs to God. In addition Romans 14 is very explicit about the damage we do when we judge others on matters of opinion. And I submit that much of wha...

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Pastor Steve EllisonThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley